GDE says resolved matter of defogging empty classrooms during COVID-19 period

The Gauteng Department of Education said it has resolved the matter of the defogging of empty classrooms during the COVID-19 period, which cost the provincial government R430 million.

Between June and August 2020, 270 companies were awarded inflated multimillion-rand contracts for decontamination, fogging, disinfection, and deep cleaning services.

The Auditor General flagged these transactions as “material irregularities”, which happens in cases where there is breaches or non-compliance of procurement processes, leading to a financial loss for the entity.

In a media statement released on Monday, Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the auditor’s remedial actions have been implemented and compliance restored.

"From the 2018/19 to the 2024/25 financial years, two material irregularities were identified by the Auditor General. The first involved the procurement of decontamination, fogging, disinfection, and deep cleaning services at excessive prices during the 2020/21 audit. 

"The second concern was inadequate food handling and storage processes at Vlakfontein High School during the 2022/23 audit. Both above-mentioned cases have been resolved in the 2024/25 and 2023/24 audits, respectively, with remedial measures implemented and compliance restored."